October 2006

Libertarians Participate in Missouri Press Association Debate

By Greg Tlapek

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September 15, 2006
Lake Ozark, MO

Libertarian candidates Frank Gilmour (U.S. Senate) and Charles Baum (Missouri State Auditor) participated in forums sponsored by the Missouri Press Association this morning. Other participants at the event included the candidates from the two major parties and from the Progressive Party. Each one-hour forum included time for opening and closing statements, as well as brief answers to questions from members of the MPA.

Charles Baum's statements focused on the independent status he would bring to the job of State Auditor. He pointed out that auditor can be an unpopular job that can easily become politicized. Being from outside the major-party structure, he would have the credibility of being truly impartial. He also closed with his personal observations about the problems he sees with the dominant parties, and why he is a Libertarian.

In response to a question about qualifications for the office, Baum cited his credentials as a financial planner. "I advise families about their finances. If governments had to run their budgets the same way individuals do we would be in a lot better shape."

In the forum for U.S. Senate, Frank Gilmour also put strong emphasis on the issue of fiscal responsibility. He pointed out that our national debt of had grown by nearly a third during Senator Talent's tenure, and at $8-1/2 trillion it now amounts to nearly $28,000 for every person in the country.

In his statements and during the question/answer period, Gilmour voiced his opposition to continuing the war in Iraq, criticized the ineffectiveness of expensive measures to provide "homeland security," and compared the idea of building fortifications along our borders to the Berlin wall.

He also slipped in a reference to upcoming debates between the major-party candidates to which he had not been invited. Afterwards, Gilmour said "I wish I'd made that point better, but the timekeeper cut me off before I could finish with a challenge to include all the candidates in future debates."

C-SPAN has published the video for the MPA US Senate Debate (RealPlayer).

Although the media continue to focus on the "horse-race" aspects of the campaign, focusing on the two major parties, Libertarians had a voice in today's forums.